


Cougar

by thalaivi



Category: CSI: Miami
Genre: Implied/Referenced Rape/Non-con, M/M, Male Slash, Underage Relationship(s)
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-02-06
Updated: 2021-02-06
Packaged: 2021-03-18 13:01:09
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Underage
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,593
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29243985
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/thalaivi/pseuds/thalaivi
Summary: Mark Twain wrote: Age is an issue of mind over matter. If you don't mind it doesn't matter. But can love triumph between a teenaged Eric Delko and an older Horatio Caine when the whole world opposes them
Relationships: Horatio Caine/Eric Delko
Kudos: 1





	Cougar

**Author's Note:**

> CSI Miami for me is unique in the sense that I usually don't ship relationships slash or otherwise when one of the partners is considerably older than the others. But that all changed with H/Eric stories because even if the difference in age between them is vast - nineteen I think between the actors - they somehow click and show themselves as almost equals especially in later seasons
> 
> And while I'm not sure I like seeing a young woman in the arms of an older male if the relationship is for all the wrong reasons - and here I do not mean what I see on T.V. but rather in my country it is common to marry a young sometimes teenage girl to a forty something man if he has money and I hate the practice - I hadn't also heard of the term cougar which I understand is the inverse before watching that Season 8 episode of CSI Miami in which the female lead from Relic Hunter appears. But seriously cougar? Someone that preys on poor innocent young men. Yeah women are treated equally in western society all right
> 
> But feminist rant aside the idea for this story started with something along those lines. How would it be if a mature Horatio ended up falling for a seventeen-year old Eric. Double whammy with a homosexual and underage relationship
> 
> But as mentioned this is a somewhat of an underage relationship and slash as well. So if either of these are triggers please do not read - even if I never write anything explicit and Eric turns eighteen rather early in the story
> 
> The first chapter can also be seen as non-consensual on the part of both men so again if this is a trigger please do not read

The sun rose over Miami bathing the city in a soft pink glow… and waking up the drunk redhaired police detective Horatio Caine, of the Miami P.D. attached to robbery and homicide who bit back the curse on his lips as he realised he’d forgotten to close the drapes the previous night. 

It was then that he heard the moan. A moan that hadn’t come from him

“Close the curtains Pablo”, a very male voice said in Spanish and he froze. “Pablo c’mon”, the voice continued and this time Horatio noticed how young it sounded. “Need sl’p. No class today”

Class. Dear God, did that mean what he thought it meant

He wanted to see who was in his bed but the fear that had shot through him at the moan now had him petrified. Because without even opening his eyes he had realised one very important fact. 

He was completely naked under the sheet

Horatio Caine had known from a pretty young age that he liked both men and women but being born in a Catholic Irish family in New York city meant he couldn’t exactly act on his desires. Over the years he had slowly learnt to hide his preference for his own sex and had instead flirted… when opportunities presented itself which was rare considering his very red hair and serious demeanour… with women. He had even been married once. Something that had blown up spectacularly in his face in six months. After that acrimonious experience he had given up on a serious relationship and had concentrated on his work

At least until he had moved to Miami a year ago and met Al Humphries who it turned out could get him very drunk and talking. Al had become something of a friend from the first case they’d worked together and had introduced him to a club owner whose bar was for men like him. Horatio wasn’t someone who wanted or needed company every night. His job was still his life but once in a while, especially after a bad case – like the one which had occupied him this last week at the end of which he had arrested an abusive husband and father; something that had hit too close to home – he needed to relax. 

Trouble was, he seemed to have relaxed way too much because all he could remember was ordering the first few rounds

“Pablo”, the voice repeated annoyed now and Horatio was startled out of his daydream

“I…”, he began softly his eyes still firmly closed. “I’m not Pablo”

The silence that followed was very, very loud

“W… wh… who…”. The young voice trembled, and Horatio shook himself knowing he was behaving like a coward. But he still couldn’t bring himself to open his eyes

“My name’s Horatio. What’s yours pal?”, he asked making sure to sound non-threatening

There was another round of silence. “Eric… My name’s Eric”

“Eric, ok…”. Horatio didn’t want to ask the next question mainly because he knew at this point he was doing it out of a selfish desire, a desire to ease his own conscience but the thought was eating him alive and he needed to know. “How… how old are you Eric?” There was no answer and he wasn’t too surprised. “You… you aren’t… you aren’t in trouble pal… If… if anything… If anything I’m the one…”

“I’m 21”. Horatio knew without opening his eyes, without looking at the face that the kid was lying

“You said something about a class”. The interrogation was natural. He was a cop after all and he couldn’t just turn it off

“I… I go to Miami University”. Horatio was startled to realise that he believed the young man. Maybe, just maybe he was off the hook

“Oh… um… what do you study?” ‘C’mon Horatio, really. Asking him what he’s studying when you’re both naked under the sheets and you haven’t even opened your eyes. At least have the cajones to look at him while you talk to him’

A pause which sounded incredulous then… “Chemistry”, the voice said the cheekiness behind it plain. ‘Seriously?’ It seemed to ask. ‘This is what you wanna discuss now?’

“My apologies”, Horatio said recognising the sentiment behind the tone. “I… I have no memory of last night”

“Me neither”, Eric admitted fearfully

“I… I’m really sorry”

“Wasn’t your idea for me to go to a bar when I’m not supposed to”. Horatio heard a rustle and felt the body beside him stiffen, then shake. “I… I… I’m not…”

“Wearing anything”, he supplied automatically then cursed himself for his matter of fact tone a second later

“Who… who’re you?”, Eric asked suspicious and a little afraid now. “What did you do to me?” The accusation stung even if Horatio had determined this was all his fault

“I… I’m sorry. I… I don’t remember”. He finally opened his eyes to meet a pair of brown ones filled with so much fear he automatically backed up. “Hello”, he said mostly because he had suddenly become tongue-tied and fallen back on natural politeness. 

The face in front of him was gorgeous. Dark hair, dark eyes, olive skin… Horatio recognised the man - kid… because he really wasn’t 21 no matter what he claimed - beside him was Hispanic with a hint of something else in his features. Eric, he reminded himself… Eric appeared to be calming down the slightest bit. He was still upset but Horatio could see him try and control his panic

“You really don’t remember?”, he asked voice still shaking

“I swear Eric I don’t. Now please tell me how old you are?” Eric didn’t answer that question. Instead he seemed to be studying Horatio. 

“Close your eyes”, he demanded. “I… I need to look for my clothes… get dressed. So close your eyes”

Horatio hesitated. As a police officer he was naturally suspicious and while he wanted to trust Eric… ‘Oh please Horatio, you want to actually get to know him, that’s what you want’… he simply couldn’t let the young man rob him, or worse. “Look, I’m not gonna take anything”, Eric said interpreting his silence correctly. “I’ll even tell you where I live. You can call the cops on me if anything’s missing. My licence has my address”

So the kid was at least sixteen. That reassured Horatio the slightest bit. “I’m the cops”, he answered automatically when Eric remained silent then wished the next second he hadn’t. If Eric had been scared before his face showed genuine panic now. “It’s fine I’m not from ABC. I’m a homicide detective”. ‘Wonderful way to reassure him Horatio’

“What’s ABC?” The question was just as absurd as his response had been

“Alcoholic beverage control. They deal with underage drinking”

“You… you’re gonna arrest me?”

“Eric no”, Horatio said his hand gripping the arm through the sheets. “I promise this isn’t about your drinking”

“Then why do you wanna know my age?”

“Because… because… I… I shouldn’t have…”

He saw the young face in front of him soften. “Do you remember anything?”

“No”, Horatio answered immediately.

“I believe you”, Eric admitted and when Horatio looked stunned he actually laughed. “I told you, I shouldn’t have gone to that club”. He held up a well-tanned hand. “Now close your eyes for a minute. “I’ll tell you when you can open them”

This time Horatio complied

Eric made sure the unknown man in the bed beside him… Horatio… he told himself… Horatio had really closed his eyes before he quickly hopped out of it… and stopped. ‘Fuck’, he thought. He felt really sore in places he shouldn’t have been and that meant… ‘Keep it together Eric’, he warned himself as he felt his eyes sting and quickly hunted for the jeans and the t-shirt he had worn the previous night. Finding his t-shirt and socks in the living room hadn’t been a good sign. It meant whatever it was he had… participated. Trouble was he remembered nothing, not even going to the damn club though he did remember the suggestion from Pablo… his older… much older cousin to show him a fun night

“Eric”, Horatio’s smooth baritone called out and Eric realised he’d been lost

“Sorry, trying to remember”, he explained. “You can open your eyes now”, he added and watched as those blue eyes landed on him. Despite himself he could admit that he had been drawn to them, could still see the guilt in them for what Horatio perceived as his actions against someone who was almost a child and that made him feel like scum.

Eric his momentary panic notwithstanding wasn’t exactly the innocent flower Horatio was taking him for. On the contrary he had been a player from when he knew what that word actually meant, heck even before. Just because the only sex he had played with till now had been women didn’t mean he didn’t understand the biology or the desire

‘You’re Catholic, Eric. You shouldn’t have thoughts like this’, his mind chose to tell him in his abuela’s voice but Eric ignored it. Instead he continued staring at the man still in the bed; the man who seemed like he was trying to look into his soul with those very blue eyes of his. He blushed and turned away and was surprised to see Horatio do the same thing out of the corner of his eyes.

“Close your eyes please”, Horatio ordered

“Um… can I sit first?”, he requested pointing to the chair in the corner

Horatio once again seemed to try and look into his soul. “You know what? Why don’t you wait in the living room for me?” Eric’s eyes widened

“Are… are you sure?”, he asked clearing his throat. After all he was still an unknown man and for the redhead to award him this amount of trust was humbling. Eric suddenly wanted to be very worthy of it. “I mean…”

“I’m sure Eric”, Horatio cut him off and Eric bit off a groan when he realised he liked how his name sounded on Horatio’s lips. This was definitely not going well. 

“In that case Mr… er…”. He couldn’t remember the man’s last name

“Caine”, Horatio answered. “Call me Horatio”, he offered with a smile that was definitely dragging the teen off into dangerous territory

“Thanks… Horatio”, he said and scarpered off

The house he had ended up in Eric realised while not exactly expensive had an elegance to it. The man inside had told him that he was a cop and cops didn’t exactly… from the ones he knew with their slobbering habits and sweaty smell… have great taste

Horatio though seemed to be the opposite

The living room was neat. The furniture was definitely masculine and Eric concluded… more like really hoped Horatio wasn’t married

The mantle with the pictures looked inviting… and more importantly told him his guess had been correct because the only woman in the photograph – seated between two young men - well one young man who was clearly Horatio and the other one with that shock of red hair was clearly related to him, perhaps a brother, Eric guessed – looked to be his mother. Horatio, he could see, resembled her greatly. There was also one other picture of Horatio and a young man – the brother Eric guessed.

He heard Horatio clear his throat and whirled around guiltily before… Pain exploded in the lower part of his body and he saw stars. Feeling his legs give way he grabbed the edge of the mantle. He felt an arm wrap around his shoulders, felt the heat of Horatio’s body as the redhead stepped closer, his other hand on Eric’s arm, holding onto him in a tight grip and felt strangely comfortable… and aroused

‘Dangerous Eric. You’re definitely veering off into dangerous territory. And even if your family was fine with you being…’ well not gay, he had ample proof of that… but bi-sexual… Horatio was a lot older

“Eric”. He hadn’t realised Horatio had been calling his name, not until the redhead mentioned an ambulance

“’M fine”, he mumbled because he really was fine… well ok a lot better than he had been a minute ago when he had so stupidly forgotten to move slowly as he had been doing the entire morning. The concern on Horatio’s face did not abate so to prove he really was ok he stepped back and when the redhead refused to let go shot him a pointed annoyed look

Earning himself an amused chuckle in return – amusement which made the corner of Horatio’s eyes crinkle… ‘Think of something else Eric, your assignments are due next week, you have a meet coming up in…’ He stopped his daydreaming when the arms released him. “I am really fine you know. Just moved wrong”. ‘Yeah course a trained cop is going to buy your lies’

And there it was again. The guilt he could almost feel. “I’m sorry Eric”, Horatio apologised and for some reason it frustrated him. 

“Look I already told you, I was somewhere I shouldn’t be”

“Why?”, Horatio asked and Eric hesitated

“It… I… I was having a bad week”, he said weakly. “Look I already know I screwed up, you don’t have to…”

“You don’t look drunk”, Horatio said pointedly

“That’s cos I’m not. I don’t… I don’t think I drank. At least I didn’t go out to drink. Just to dance”. He didn’t understand why Horatio had just become… angry. “Look I…”

“Who did you go out with Eric?” His tone was almost clipped and Eric backed up. He saw the redhead try and visibly calm himself down. “You don’t remember what happened”

“So?”, Eric asked not understanding where Horatio was going with this

“You must have been drugged”, Horatio explained almost gently but he still froze. There was no way… no freaking way… Horatio couldn’t have meant what he meant. “I don’t think whoever it was expected for me to… step in”

“But…”, Eric protested automatically. He had gone out with Pablo, his cousin, the man who was like an older brother and Pablo would never…

“I understand it might have been someone you trusted Eric”, Horatio continued and Eric realised the redhead had an uncanny ability to read people. “It’s still best if someone talks to this person, because if it wasn’t him it was someone at the club”

“How do you know I didn’t do tequila shots or something”

“Do you feel like you have a hangover?”

Eric groaned. “I don’t know what a hangover feels like… I… I mean…”, he rubbed the back of his neck feeling embarrassed as hell. “I’ve never drunk alcohol before this”

He heard Horatio chuckle. “That’s not exactly a bad thing”, the redhead pointed out and he smiled

“I… I guess not”, he admitted. “Look you were right, I went out with someone I trust and…”. He groaned again. “Shit”, he cursed. “Um… Could… could I please use your phone. I need to call my parents… Or if there’s a pay…”

“It’s fine Eric”, Horatio interrupted him with a smile. “Yes you may use my phone. But… before that I have a request”

“What is it?”, Eric asked warily. 

“I’d like for a doctor I know to draw your blood. To make sure you really haven’t been drugged”

Eric became confused. “What… what do you mean? I feel fine and I told you I might have just gotten drunk”

“Well, I… I’d like to verify that. Please”

“And if I said no”. 

The question hung in the air between them


End file.
